Perhaps a rite of passage, spring just would not be complete without the Greater York Antiques Show and Sale. Begun by the late promoter Jim Burk 40 years ago and now conducted by his wife, Donna, the classic event opened to an enthusiastic crowd on Friday morning, May 21, and continued through Saturday afternoon.
Burk, who died two years ago, conducted his first antiques show in 1968 and he dubbed the York event, “The Greatest Antiques Show on Earth for Americana.” Quality goods were seen around the floor where 70-plus dealers set up their wares.
Exhibiting renewed strength, the spring show was bright and attractive with good fare offered around the floor. There were a couple of dealers that may have been questionable participants, such as the dealer in plastic toys at the rear of the show who commented that he “stuck out like a sore thumb,” but overall, the Greater York show rebounded after a smaller fall event.
Donna Burk reported excellent sales for many of the dealers, and from her make-do office at the entrance to the show, she watched an amazing array of merchandise leave the floor from right after opening until closing the following afternoon.
“Furniture moved out like there was no tomorrow,” commented Burk. “It was moving †and I mean moving,” she said. The promoter reported “painted chests, chairs, tables, blanket boxes, sugar boxes and paintings” proceeding by her as they left the show with proud new owners.
“One lady had a driver bring her to the show on Friday and he kept making trips back and forth to the car. He told me that she didn’t come to buy anything specific, but left with three tables, a chair, two hooked rugs and some other small things. It was all that he could fit into the car,” she said.
Newsom & Berdan Antiques, Thomasville, Penn., was set up near the front of the first aisle and displayed a wonderful Queen Anne country table in typical Pennsylvania style. With two large drawers in the skirt, the table was in an original scrubbed finish and was surrounded by a set of Queen Anne side chairs in black paint. Continuing to display the work of folk artist and carver Frank Finney, the dealers featured a wonderful carved wooden dog along with several birds executed in the style of Elmer Crowell.
Ray Roberts, New Cumberland, Penn., offered a colorful quilt, an interesting Queen Anne chest with legs ending in pad feet and a three-over-three drawer configuration. A select group of redware was displayed that included a rare covered sugar bowl with manganese decoration.
A large hutch table in old gray paint was forefront at the stand of Lederach, Penn., dealer Joseph Lodge’s stand. A pig weathervane was displayed atop, as was a basket in old red paint and a treen bucket.
Ohio dealers David Good and Sam Forsythe filled their display case with an amazing selection of early smalls that ranged from blown glass pieces probably produced at Redford, N.Y., to exceptional brightly glazed redware forms from the Shenandoah Valley.
Warwick, N.Y., dealer Chuck White featured a bold Black Hawk weathervane in a great gilt color that was displayed on top of a painted Sheraton chest of drawers in red and black. Next door was Steve Smoot, Lancaster, Penn., where a two-part corner cupboard with broken arch pediment top and arched glazed upper door was among the offerings. Another cupboard, in old blue, had a canted upper portion.
New York City dealer Sidney Gecker had a fanciful display that included several carved wooden roosters; of particular note was a large and boldly executed example with a fan-tail. A horse and rider weathervane and several early watercolors were also displayed.
A neat old carousel horse in early park paint had come from a local amusement park when it was dismantled in the 1960s, according to exhibitor John Stroup, Belleville, Penn. Believed by the dealer to have been made by Herschell-Spillman, the rare piece was attracting attention from shoppers.
Just down the aisle, Donald and Verna Stump, Sinking Springs, Penn., also offered a carousel horse in later park paint. The dealers also featured a wonderful free-form toadstool garden table made of cast cement.
Two brightly colored quilts with appliqué eagles occupied opposite walls in the booth of Art and Alice Booth, Wayne, N.J. Complementing one and other, one was done with a red ground and yellow eagles, while the other had a yellow ground with red eagles.
Richard “Smitty” Axtell pleased collectors of treen as he displayed two exceptional burl bowls, a large example measuring approximately 14 inches across with carved handles and great form, and a similarly carved bowl that was roughly one-quarter of that size. A playful hooked rug with two kittens seated opposite a ball of yarn was also on offer.
The fall dates for York will be October 29 and 30. For information, 717-872-2778 or www.jimburkantiqueshows.net.
